The Taxcast

In this month's Taxcast: They say history is written by the victors. So how can we rethink the way we use words about tax havens that reflect the reality of what's really happening? We talk to Alain Deneault about his new book in which he writes about laundering with language - Legalising Theft, a short guide to tax havens.  Plus: we discuss the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter on British soil and how by welcoming oligarchs with no questions asked, the City of London has compromised democracy and ushered in an era of oppression, criminality and impunity. And also, how US President Trump's tax reforms have awarded tax write-offs for private jet owners.

In this month’s Taxcast: we look at the United States, Trump’s tax reforms and the killing of the American Dream. Plus: as we see yet another school shooting, should the powerful National Rifle Association continue to be a tax-exempt, non-profit organisation? And we discuss ongoing state-capture in Malta as the European Banking Authority investigates Pilatus bank, the subject of murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia’s investigations. Can the Malta Financial Services Authority possibly be ‘fully equipped and free from conflicts of interest to perform its supervisory duties’?

In the January 2018 Taxcast we explore the results of the Tax Justice Network's Financial Secrecy Index just out, that tell the real story of global corruption. We look at the top ten worst global offenders, discuss the 4 key geographical political poles: the Far East, Europe, Britain plus its cluster of satellite tax havens, and the United States. And we discuss what countries can do independently and as regional blocs to defend themselves against the threats to their economies from offshore secrecy jurisdictions.

We speak with Jake Bernstein about his new book 'Secrecy World' - we ask what makes offshore players like Jurgen Mossack and Ramon Fonseca tick, and what do the Panama Papers and now the Paradise Papers tell us about Presidents Putin, Trump and the transnational oligarchy? Also we analyse Tax Haven USA's tax reforms set to turbo-charge inequality in a country with weak gun controls, the EU's disappointing tax haven blacklist and how the race to the bottom on tax between nations won't stop at 0%.

In the November 2017 Taxcast: we discuss the latest offshore scandal, the Paradise Papers with one of the journalists who got the scoop, Frederik Obermaier of Suddeutsche Zeitung. We interpret the enquiries to Jersey from offshore lawyers looking for a new tax haven for Apple which they'd rather had remained secret, look at the anti-democratic processes the Paradise Papers uncover and ask - what now for tax justice?

In this month’s Taxcast we look at the booming business of passports and residency for sale, and why it should worry us all. Also, even the IMF now advocates wealth taxes to combat inequality, yet governments around the world – most recently President Macron of France – are going in the opposite direction despite all the evidence that it’s a bad idea, we discuss how Russia and the US are now world leaders in inequality and the good news that the European Commission has ordered Luxembourg to claim back $293 million in taxes from Amazon in another ruling on illegal state aid.

In the September 2017 Taxcast we look at our over-reliance on unhelpful economic measures, like Gross Domestic Product and how it constrains us. Also: we discuss hurricanes, tax havens and disaster capitalism; and the bitcoin bubble - China may be closing its doors on it for the moment but tax havens like Switzerland are very interested…

In the August 2017 Taxcast: #10yearsafter the crash we ask - what will the next one look like? Can we avoid it? Also: Panama Papers fallout - another Prime Minister bites the dust, this time in Pakistan the offshore law firm Mossack Fonseca has closed 39 of its 45 offices around the world a UK court ruling spells the end for ‘employee benefit trusts’ being used by footballers to minimise their tax bills and the Bank Of England Governor has predicted Britain’s financial sector could double in size in the next 25 years. Has he not heard of the finance curse?

In this month’s July 2017 Taxcast: we explore Land Value Tax and the billions in revenue we’re missing out on. Plus: Tax Haven USA signs up to potential sanctions and blacklisting of the few nations still refusing to comply with international financial transparency rules, which would er, include itself as the world’s prime offender. Did Team USA read the small print? And will the G20, OECD and the EU really blacklist one of the world’s biggest economies? Also, at last, Members of the European Parliament vote for public country by country reporting for the world’s biggest companies – but a last minute amendment was tabled…

In the June 2017 Taxcast we ask - has the UK just had its first tax justice general election? Are we seeing a popular shift towards tax justice in the UK and in the US? Is this the beginning of the end to our long austerity winter? How much do people REALLY care about taxes, who pays them and who doesn’t?